History Of Eldorado

Around 1806, the first settlement was established in Saline County, Illinois. It is undetermined who should receive the credit for establishing that first settlement. With no roads, schools, churches, or even doctors, the early years in Saline County were rough, and most men and women had to rely on their own exertions to make it, as this area was isolated from the civilized society. With newcomers settling on government land, neighborhoods and communities began to spring up, and soon it was possible to build and sustain a stump mill. After about 25 to 30 years, neighborhoods began to grow and were able to sustain larger mills in the area. The settlers in Saline County were hard working and industrious. Most were church members of fairly good education. Joseph Read and his son William, and Samuel Elder and his son William laid out the street plans of Eldorado in 1852. They laid out two streets; State Street and Walnut Street. The name, Eldorado, was a suggestion of William H. Parish, who wrote Personal Reflections of Saline County in 1897. He suggested it be called Elder-Reado in honor of the two men who had furnished the land. The name was change from Elder-Reado to Eldorado by either an uninformed painter or by legislation. The truth is still unknown concerning the changing of the name. In 1894 Eldorado was incorporated as a city. Beginning to grow and flourish due to the completion of the St. Louis and Southeastern Railroads in 1871, Eldorado was really on the move. The city began to see more modern developments, such as the automobile and electric power. Still the Great Depression was extremely hard on Eldorado. As the city progressed, it had seen its good times and its bad times, as most cities of its size do. Eldorado is still on the move; however with a population that is proud of its heritage yet ready to embrace the onset of technology. Close Window